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This is the title history of the World Heavyweight Championship. The title was introduced in 2002 when WWE bought out World Championship Wrestling WCW. It was retired and made into one with the WWE Championship on December 16, 2013 when Randy Orton defeated John Cena at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs. It does not share the title history of the new World Heavyweight Championship that was created in 2023.
# | Wrestlers | Reign | Date | Days held |
Location | Event | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Triple H | 1 | September 2, 2002 | 76 | Milwaukee, WI | Raw | Awarded the championship by Eric Bischoff.
At No Mercy on October 20, 2002, Triple H defeated Intercontinental Champion Kane to unify the Intercontinental Championship into the World Heavyweight Championship. |
[1][2] |
2 | Shawn Michaels | 1 | November 17, 2002 | 28 | New York, NY | Survivor Series | This was the first ever Elimination Chamber match, also involving Chris Jericho, Booker T, Rob Van Dam, and Kane. | [3][4] |
3 | Triple H | 2 | December 15, 2002 | 280 | Sunrise, FL | Armageddon | This was a Three Stages of Hell match. | [5][6] |
4 | Goldberg | 1 | September 21, 2003 | 84 | Hershey, PA | Unforgiven | This was a Career vs. Title match. | [7][8] |
5 | Triple H | 3 | December 14, 2003 | 91 | Orlando, FL | Armageddon | This was a Triple Threat match also involving Kane. | [9][10] |
6 | Chris Benoit | 1 | March 14, 2004 | 154 | New York, NY | WrestleMania XX | This was a Triple Threat match also involving Shawn Michaels. Benoit became the first Canadian to win the title. | [11][12] |
7 | Randy Orton | 1 | August 15, 2004 | 28 | Toronto, ON, Canada | SummerSlam | Orton became the youngest world champion in the history of WWE. | [13][14] |
8 | Triple H | 4 | September 12, 2004 | 85 | Portland, OR | Unforgiven | [15][16] | |
— | Vacated | — | December 6, 2004 | — | Charlotte, NC | Raw | The championship was vacated after a double pinfall happened in a triple threat match, also involving Chris Benoit and Edge. | [17][18] |
9 | Triple H | 5 | January 9, 2005 | 84 | San Juan, Puerto Rico | New Year's Revolution | Triple H beat Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Randy Orton, Batista, and Edge in an Elimination Chamber match with Shawn Michaels as the Special Guest Referee to win the vacant championship. | [17][19] |
10 | Batista | 1 | April 3, 2005 | 282 | Los Angeles, CA | WrestleMania 21 | Batista was drafted to the SmackDown! brand as the last pick on June 30, 2005, making the title exclusive to that brand. | [20][21] |
— | Vacated | — | January 10, 2006 | — | Philadelphia, PA | SmackDown! | Batista vacated the title after he suffered a triceps injury.
Aired on tape delay on January 13, 2006. |
[22][23] |
11 | Kurt Angle | 1 | January 10, 2006 | 82 | Philadelphia, PA | SmackDown! | Angle won the vacant championship in a 20 man battle royal, last eliminating Mark Henry. | [22][23] |
12 | Rey Mysterio | 1 | April 2, 2006 | 112 | Rosemont, IL | WrestleMania 22 | This was a Triple Threat match also involving Randy Orton. | [24][25] |
13 | King Booker | 1 | July 23, 2006 | 126 | Indianapolis, IN | The Great American Bash | Booker T became the first African American to win the title. | [26][27] |
14 | Batista | 2 | November 26, 2006 | 126 | Philadelphia, PA | Survivor Series | This was a Last Chance match. | [28][29] |
15 | The Undertaker | 1 | April 1, 2007 | 37 | Detroit, MI | WrestleMania 23 | This was a title vs streak match in which the Undertaker's undefeated streak at WrestleMania went up to 15-0. | [30][31] |
16 | Edge | 1 | May 8, 2007 | 70 | Pittsburgh, PA | SmackDown! | Edge cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to earn the right to challenge for the title.
Aired on tape delay on May 8, 2007. |
[32][33] |
— | Vacated | — | July 17, 2007 | — | Laredo, TX | SmackDown! | Edge vacated the title after he suffered a pectoral injury.
Aired on tape delay on July 20, 2007. |
[34][35] |
17 | The Great Khali | 1 | July 17, 2007 | 61 | Laredo, TX | SmackDown! | Khali won the vacant championship in a 20-man battle royal and became first Indian to win the title. | [34][35] |
18 | Batista | 3 | September 16, 2007 | 91 | Memphis, TN | Unforgiven | This was a Triple Threat match also involving Rey Mysterio. | [36][37] |
19 | Edge | 2 | December 16, 2007 | 105 | Pittsburgh, PA | Armageddon | This was a Triple Threat match also involving The Undertaker. | [38][39] |
20 | The Undertaker | 2 | March 30, 2008 | 30 | Orlando, FL | WrestleMania XXIV | This was a title vs streak match in which the Undertaker's WrestleMania undefeated streak went up to 16-0.
WWE lists the end of Undertaker's reign on May 2, 2008, when the following episode aired on tape delay. |
[40][41] |
— | Vacated | — | April 29, 2008 | — | Atlantic City, NJ | SmackDown | SmackDown's General Manager Vickie Guerrero stripped The Undertaker of the title for using the Hell's Gate submission hold, which she said was dangerous.
Aired on tape delay on May 2, 2008. |
[42][43] |
21 | Edge | 3 | June 1, 2008 | 29 | San Diego, CA | One Night Stand | Edge beat The Undertaker in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match to win the vacant title. | [42][44] |
22 | CM Punk | 1 | June 30, 2008 | 69 | Oklahoma City, OK | Raw | This was Punks Money in the Bank cash-in match. CM Punk was a part of the Raw brand, so his win made the title exclusive to that brand again. | [45][46] |
23 | Chris Jericho | 1 | September 7, 2008 | 49 | Cleveland, OH | Unforgiven (2008) | This was a Championship Scramble, also involving John "Bradshaw" Layfield, Batista, Rey Mysterio, and Kane. Jericho was a late replacement for champion CM Punk, who was attacked by Legacy before the match. | [47][48] |
24 | Batista | 4 | October 26, 2008 | 8 | Phoenix, AZ | Cyber Sunday | "Stone Cold" Steve Austin was the Special Guest Referee. | [49][50] |
25 | Chris Jericho | 2 | November 3, 2008 | 20 | Tampa, FL | Raw | This was a Steel Cage match. | [51][52] |
26 | John Cena | 1 | November 23, 2008 | 84 | Boston, MA | Survivor Series | [53][54] | |
27 | Edge | 4 | February 15, 2009 | 49 | Seattle, WA | No Way Out | This was an Elimination Chamber match also involving Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio, Mike Knox, and Kane.
The title became exclusive to SmackDown again because Edge was a part of that brand. |
[55][56] |
28 | John Cena | 2 | April 5, 2009 | 21 | Houston, TX | WrestleMania XXV | This was a Triple Threat match also involving The Big Show.
The title became exclusive to Raw again because Cena was a part of that brand. |
[57][58] |
29 | Edge | 5 | April 26, 2009 | 42 | Providence, RI | Backlash | This was a Last Man Standing match.
The title became exclusive to SmackDown again because Edge was a part of that brand. |
[59][60] |
30 | Jeff Hardy | 1 | June 7, 2009 | <1 | New Orleans, LA | Extreme Rules | This was a Ladder match. | [61][62] |
31 | CM Punk | 2 | 49 | This was Punk's Money in the Bank cash-in match. | [62][63] | |||
32 | Jeff Hardy | 2 | July 26, 2009 | 28 | Philadelphia, PA | Night of Champions | [64][65] | |
33 | CM Punk | 3 | August 23, 2009 | 42 | Los Angeles, CA | SummerSlam | This was a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match. | [66][67] |
34 | The Undertaker | 3 | October 4, 2009 | 140 | Newark, NJ | Hell in a Cell | This was a Hell in a Cell match. | [68][69] |
35 | Chris Jericho | 3 | February 21, 2010 | 37 | St. Louis, MO | Elimination Chamber | This was an Elimination Chamber match, also involving John Morrison, R-Truth, CM Punk and Rey Mysterio.
WWE lists the end of Jericho's reign on April 2, 2010, when the following episode aired on tape delay. |
[70] |
36 | Jack Swagger | 1 | March 30, 2010 | 82 | Las Vegas, NV | SmackDown | This was Swagger's Money in the Bank cash-in match. Swagger was drafted to SmackDown following his win.
WWE lists the start of Swagger's reign on April 2, 2010, when the episode aired on tape delay. |
[71] |
37 | Rey Mysterio | 2 | June 20, 2010 | 28 | Uniondale, NY | Fatal 4-Way | This was a Fatal 4-Way match also involving The Big Show and CM Punk. | [72] |
38 | Kane | 1 | July 18, 2010 | 154 | Kansas City, MO | Money in the Bank | This was Kane's Money in the Bank cash-in match. | [73] |
39 | Edge | 6 | December 19, 2010 | 58 | Houston, TX | TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs | This was a Fatal 4-Way Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match, also involving Alberto Del Rio and Rey Mysterio.
WWE lists the end of Edge's reign on February 18, 2011, when the following episode aired on tape delay. |
[74] |
— | Vacated | 1 | April 12, 2011 | — | Albany, NY | SmackDown | Edge was stripped as a result of using the spear in a banned move match by Vickie Guerrero.
This episode aired on tape delay on February 18, 2011. |
[75] |
40 | Dolph Ziggler | 1 | February 15, 2011 | <1 | San Diego, CA | SmackDown | Vickie Guerrero awarded the belt to Ziggler.
This episode aired on tape delay on February 18, 2011. |
[76] |
41 | Edge | 7 | 56 | WWE lists the start of Edge's reign on February 18, 2011 and the end on April 15, 2011. Both episodes aired on tape delay. | ||||
— | Vacated | 1 | April 12, 2011 | — | Albany, NY | SmackDown | Vacated when Edge announced his retirement.
This episode aired on tape delay on April 15, 2011. |
[77] |
42 | Christian | 1 | May 1, 2011 | 5 | Tampa, FL | Extreme Rules | Christian defeated Alberto Del Rio in a Ladder match to win the vacant world championship.
WWE lists the end of Christian's reign on May 6, 2011, when the following episode aired on tape delay. |
[78] |
43 | Randy Orton | 2 | May 3, 2011 | 75 | Orlando, FL | SmackDown | WWE lists the start of Orton's reign on May 6, 2011, when the episode aired on tape delay. | [79] |
44 | Christian | 2 | July 17, 2011 | 28 | Rosemont, IL | Money in the Bank | Defeated Randy Orton by disqualification after Orton gave him a low-blow in view of the official. The stipulations of the match allowed the title to change hands via disqualification. | [80][81] |
45 | Randy Orton | 3 | August 14, 2011 | 35 | Los Angeles, CA | SummerSlam | This was a No Holds Barred Match. | [82] |
46 | Mark Henry | 1 | September 18, 2011 | 91 | Buffalo, NY | Night of Champions | [83] | |
47 | Big Show | 1 | December 18, 2011 | <1 | Baltimore, MD | TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs | This was a chairs match. | [83] |
48 | Daniel Bryan | 1 | 105 | This was Bryan's Money in the Bank cash-in match. | [84] | |||
49 | Sheamus | 1 | April 1, 2012 | 210 | Miami, FL | WrestleMania XXVIII | Sheamus defeated Daniel Bryan in 18 seconds, this was one of the shortest title matches in WWE history.. | [85] |
50 | Big Show | 2 | October 28, 2012 | 72 | Atlanta, GA | Hell in a Cell | [86] | |
51 | Alberto Del Rio | 1 | January 8, 2013 | 90 | Miami, FL | SmackDown! | This was a Last Man Standing match. | [87] |
52 | Dolph Ziggler | 2 | April 8, 2013 | 69 | East Rutherford, NJ | Raw | This was Ziggler's Money in the Bank cash-in match. | [88] |
53 | Alberto Del Rio | 2 | June 16, 2013 | 133 | Rosemont, IL | Payback | [89] | |
54 | John Cena | 3 | October 27, 2013 | 49 | Miami, FL | Hell in a Cell | [90] | |
55 | Randy Orton | 4 | December 15, 2013 | <1 | Houston, TX | TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs | This was a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Winner takes all match, in which Orton also defended his WWE Championship. | [91] |
— | Unified | 1 | December 15, 2013 | — | Houston, TX | TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs | Retired when the title was made into one with the WWE Championship to create the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. | [92] |
Rank | Wrestler | No. of reigns |
Combined days | Combined days recognized by WWE |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Triple H | 5 | 616 | 611 |
2 | Batista | 4 | 507 | 503 |
3 | Edge | 7 | 409 | 405 |
4 | Alberto Del Rio | 2 | 223 | |
5 | Sheamus | 1 | 210 | |
6 | The Undertaker | 3 | 207 | |
7 | CM Punk | 3 | 160 | 157 |
8 | Chris Benoit | 1 | 154 | 153 |
John Cena | 3 | 154 | 152 | |
Kane | 1 | 154 | 153 | |
11 | Rey Mysterio | 2 | 140 | 138 |
12 | Randy Orton | 4 | 138 | 132 |
13 | King Booker | 1 | 126 | 125 |
14 | Chris Jericho | 3 | 106 | |
15 | Daniel Bryan | 1 | 105 | 104 |
16 | Mark Henry | 1 | 91 | |
17 | Goldberg | 1 | 84 | 83 |
18 | Jack Swagger | 1 | 82 | 78 |
Kurt Angle | 1 | 82 | 81 | |
20 | Big Show | 2 | 72 | |
21 | Dolph Ziggler | 2 | 69 | |
22 | The Great Khali | 1 | 61 | 60 |
23 | Christian | 2 | 30 | 31 |
24 | Jeff Hardy | 2 | 28 | 27 |
Shawn Michaels | 1 |
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